A Choice of Roads
by Anaphalis
Summary: A journey of a thousand miles may start with a single step- but what happens if someone walks into you? Battousai the assassin gets transported to feudal Japan. The rest of his year isn't looking very good either. Rurouni Kenshin X Inuyasha (Complete)
1. Cul de Sac

**Chapter Summary**: Everyone is having a Very Bad Day. Then things get worse.

**Disclaimer**: Don't own Inuyasha. Don't own Rurouni Kenshin.

**Warning**: Rated R for language and adult situations.

Chapter One: Cul-de-Sac

_Most religions boil down to one point- don't fuck with the gods._

The Hitokiri Battousai was having a very bad day. Of course, since the end of the war most of his days had been bad. However this one was shaping up to be particularly awful. It had started with the realization that his purse was completely empty. This had been followed closely by the realization that he was now miles from any major town- literally in the middle of nowhere. He'd already sold his short sword to feed himself and he had nothing left of value except his long sword. If he was lucky, he might see a farm he could ask for a meal. Unfortunately, most people in the new enlightened era only accepted cold, hard coin. Plus, he wasn't nearly far enough from Kyoto for his distinctive features to not get him in trouble.

As serious as all of these issues were though, they weren't what had most disturbed Battousai's mind. Hitokiri Battousai, who was once Himura Kenshin, who was once, in a very distant memory, Himura Shinta, was an eighteen year old has-been. At eighteen years of age the assassin was obsolete. He had given everything to bring about this glorious era of peace and now- now there was no place for him in it. A cold chuckle escaped him as he thought about the clammy-handed officials offering him a government position. "Like they would offer a rabid dog a bone."

And now he was talking to himself. He'd always assumed that he had a slightly looser grip on sanity than most people. He had also assumed that the iron-clad control required to succeed as an assassin would keep the craziness in check. Apparently years without proper sleep, weeks without proper food, and a newfound lack of purpose had driven him over the edge. Battousai decided that if he was going to be insane, then he was going to use it to his best advantage.

The Hitokiri Battousai had never been a religious man. The things that he had seen and done had convinced him that if there was a god or series of gods they were certainly not going out of their way to help people. Battousai believed very firmly in his sword and the strength of his arm. His careful assassinations of those who stood in the way of progress had had a far larger role in creating the new era than any prayers to indifferent gods,

But now he was insane. He didn't have to be logical anymore. A giddiness, not unlike the adrenaline rush before a kill, filled Battousai's mind. He executed a mock bow in the middle of the empty road. "Oh gods, hear my humble prayers. I have been a loyal servant, destroyed my soul and my body for the sake of the people of Japan. I only ask one reward of the greater powers. Grant me a new purpose. Grant me a reason to live!"

He gave a rusty laugh as he righted himself. Strangely, he felt better for having performed that little piece of idiocy. It was, he decided, a good thing that the road had been empty today. It was therefore something of a surprise when his first step carried him straight into another body. As he reflexively grabbed the person that he had knocked off balance, he began to wonder about the wisdom of mocking the gods.

###

Kagome had decided that canine youkai were put on this planet for the sole purpose of depleting her dwindling supply of aspirin.

"Let me see if I understand this correctly- you want me to lift the sealing spell we put on the well to protect the future from Naraku, a spell that took two weeks to perform and nearly cost Kaede her life, because we're running out of ramen?"

Inuyasha didn't even have the grace to look embarrassed. "It's not just the ramen. Weak bitch like you needs to get out of here every once in a while so I don't have to listen to you whine. You're more of a fucking interference than a help half the time- it might do some good for you to go back for a while. I know you've finished all those "test" things and got your "high school" papers, but doesn't your family want to see you? It's been nearly a year."

Kagome's eyes swam with spots as she fought the urge to vomit. In the three years that she had searched for the jewel fragments, Inuyasha had never managed, not with Kikyou, not with his own special brand of insults, to hurt her as badly as he just had. The worst part was that he wouldn't even know why he had hurt her. She was swaying on her feet, reeling forward drunkenly a few steps ahead of the group. When she walked into the unfamiliar chest, she didn't even attempt to break her fall backwards.

An arm stopped her descent and brusquely brought her to her feet. Something soft settled on her face as she rose, filtering the sunlight and blocking her view of the road. As the spots cleared from her eyes she realized that it was hair- impossibly fine, blood-red hair, It was at that moment that she lifted her head and met the eyes of her savior.

It wasn't love at first sight. It wasn't even lust at first sight. Kagome only had time to notice that he had a nasty cross-shaped scar on his cheek before she finally gave in to her urge to vomit. Somehow, the stranger managed to simultaneously lower her to the road and remove himself from the path of destruction. Whether consciously or not, he had also grabbed her hair as he had moved behind her, preventing it from dragging in her face. It would have been a sweet gesture if Kagome hadn't heard him mutter, "Ask the gods for a fucking purpose.... I'll show you a fucking purpose...."

It became even less sweet when he used her hair to drag her to her feet after she finished puking. His eyes, she realized, were the same color as the midday sun and about equally friendly. He was practically growling as he pulled her head towards him.

"Where the fuck did you come from?"


	2. A Rocky Merge

**Chapter Summary**: Battousai gets beaten by a girl. Just another day in the Warring States Era.

**Disclaimer**: Don't own Rurouni Kenshin. Don't own Inuyasha. In fact, don't own much of anything. Damn tuition.

**Warning**: Rated R for language and adult situations.

­­

Chapter 2: A Rocky Merge

_Insanity is simply the realization that the impossible makes far more sense than the possible._

Assassins didn't get taken by surprise. Strange women didn't appear out of nowhere and then vomit when you touched them. He felt the heat of her breath fan the fine hairs on his cheek. Perhaps he had gotten a little bit carried away. He wasn't an assassin anymore and she hadn't done anything other than stand in his way. He realized with a combination of annoyance, embarrassment and awe, that even now she didn't seem remotely frightened of him. He slowly loosened his grip on her head. Unfortunately, it was at that moment that she again met his eyes and did something to probe his ki with hers. All hell broke loose.

After the very real smoke cleared, Battousai found himself sitting on his ass, blown back about ten feet by whatever attack the woman had used when he'd drawn his sword. His sword was now lying about five feet down the road from him. All his shell-shocked brain seemed to register was that, other than a sore back, he appeared to be unhurt. The woman seemed to be even less hurt, as she was standing and walking towards him. Apparently it wasn't an illusion. For the first time since he had become an assassin, Battousai had been outmaneuvered. And now, the woman who had outmaneuvered was standing over him and... offering him a hand up?

There was a bright smile on the beautiful face of his opponent. When she leaned down, her long black hair created the illusion of a privacy screen. "You're a major improvement over my current companions. You didn't even try to attack me until I poked around in your ki. I'm Higurashi Kagome and I can tell that we're going to get along really well."

He was still completely numb when she pulled him to his feet. He noted absently that she was smaller than him. As a small man, that made her very, very small. "I'm sorry about your sword, but I don't think I damaged it. I tried to keep the blast at as low energy as possible."

People died for touching an assassin's sword. However, Battousai didn't even flinch when she handed him his blade. For the first time in his life, the assassin had found something more important to worry about than his sword. This woman had touched his ki, apparently liked his blood-filled, murder-black ki and was currently smiling at him. What the fuck kind of monster was she? And what the fuck kind of spell had she put on him that he blindly followed her when she offered to introduce him to her friends?

###

A wise man once said that there are few things as truly terrifying in life as the first time that you meet your in-laws. Kagome had no plans to marry the dark-spirited stranger. But really, she could sympathize with the brief flare of panic in his eyes as her makeshift family surrounded him. They might argue amongst themselves, and even occasionally come to blows (stupid groping monk). But after three years of utter hell, the group was closer than blood relatives ever could be. They had truly been baptized in each other's blood. As a result they had done some very nasty things to strangers who had attempted harm to any member of their strange little family.

The close scrutiny of the other group members gave Kagome her own time to think on the stranger. His ki had literally appeared out of nowhere. Although, from his bewilderment, it seemed that he had believed the same thing about her. His expressions were schooled in careful blankness, but there was a brief ki-spike every time he faced one of the more... demonic members of the group. Coupled with his outfit, the type of sword he was wearing.... Damn, damn, damn. "Please," she mentally begged the gods, "just this once, let me be wrong."

Nobody had spoken yet in the all-testosterone pissing/staring contest. Kagome realized, with a bit of shame, that she not only did not know the stranger's name, but she had failed to tell him the names of any of the group members. Unfortunately, she was going to have to resolve the growing dread in her stomach first.

"Excuse me sir, but have you ever used a gun?"

The red-head turned those piercing eyes on her as he replied.

"I never felt comfortable with them. I have always preferred my sword."

Oh hell. She guessed that there was nothing to do but brazen it out. Confronted by three demons, a demon exterminator and two spiritual fighters he'd probably eventually believe her.

"Well, that's probably just as well. There aren't any guns here in the early Warring States Era and a nice upstanding Meiji guy like you wouldn't want to cause problems."


	3. Travel Advisories

**Chapter Summary**: Kagome makes gravity-defying leaps of logic and Battousai is led around by his er... head.

**Disclaimer**: Don't own Rurouni Kenshin or Inuyasha. I think that the change on the floor might be mine though.

**Warning**: Rated R for language and adult situations.

Chapter 3: Travel Advisories

_Nothing generates belief faster than the prospect of death and starvation. Sex helps too._

Battousai hadn't wanted to believe her. Hell, he had rather violently not wanted to believe her. But unless he had gone completely insane, and mind you he wasn't ruling that out, he was definitely surrounded by "people" that just didn't exist in the Japan he knew. This, he realized, was probably why his ki didn't bother her. She was already surrounded by monsters. Apparently an assassin with an honor code didn't register as more or less evil than the companions she already had.

It didn't occur to him until they had already resumed walking that she had known not only that he was from the future, but precisely the time he was from as well. The Meiji reign was barely a few months old when he left and yet she had pinpointed him there.

She forestalled his questions with a wave of her hand and a tired sigh.

"I know that you want some answers, but may I get your name first?"

"Hitokiri Battousai." She knew about his time. He waited with far more dread than he should have felt for the flicker of recognition followed by horror.

"You're an assassin. That's nice. But I wanted your name."

He should have been offended. He should have drawn his blade and killed her on the spot. But something inside him warmed to her words. "Kenshin, Himura Kenshin."

Dear god, her smile made her glow. "Very pleased to meet you Kenshin. If speaking so familiarly offends you, please let me know, but I address all of my companions this way now. And please, call me Kagome."

He realized in some dark corner of his brain, that if she kept smiling there was a very real possibility that he would do a lot more for her than call her Kagome. He shook his head hard to try and clear the traitorous thought. He had spent hours in teahouses without the slightest flicker of desire. What the fuck was wrong with his body?

He needed a distraction. Fast.

"How did you know that I was from the future?"

Her eyes momentarily unfocussed before she answered.

"I'm from another hundred or so years farther in the future than you. I grew up in a shrine so we learned a lot of small details about historical changes in clothing and weapons over time. Something about the cut of your clothes is wrong and no wandering soldier in the Warring States would carry a sword of the quality and craftsmanship that that blade possesses. Besides which, your blade is too wide and has too long a point for the era. It looks like the make produced just before the start of the Meiji."

She blushed as she mumbled, "My father was a bit of a sword buff."

"Most of those facts could be explained away." He looked at her with grudging admiration. "So you were just guessing that I was from the future, and even more blindly guessing that I was from the Meiji reign."

"Well you did appear out of nowhere. If I was wrong, you would have just been another person who thinks I'm crazy."

He realized that maybe being insane was an advantage in the Warring States. He wasn't sure if the thought was comforting.

It was then that he looked, really looked at her. She was carrying a staff and a bow slung over her back but he couldn't distinguish her outfit from that of the other woman traveling with the group.

Seeing the direction of his gaze, she spoke again. "I used to wear clothing from my time. But this is easier to fight in and it attracts less unwanted attention. Look, I know you probably have a lot of questions, but my companions are getting jittery and we really need to get out of the area before nightfall. I promise that I'll do everything I can to try and get you back where you belong. Although selfishly, I must admit than I'm hoping that you can stay with us for a little while."

The smile she gave him was completely open, friendly and non-flirtatious. It shattered what was left of Kenshin's already fractured defenses. As he blindly followed her, something in the back of his mind absently wondered how he had managed to go from Battousai to Kenshin in such a short space of time. The same little voice wondered which of his heads was currently doing the thinking. Poor, beleaguered Kenshin wondered how hard it was to assassinate voices in the back of his head.

###

Thanks to **Regana **and** rickW22** for reviewing!


	4. Pit Stop

**Quick Author's Note**: Um... I really shouldn't be posting this until it goes through my second beta, but she's being a little slow. I refuse all responsibility for glaring errors.

**Chapter Summary**: Kagome tries to feel sorry for herself but Sango and Kenshin keep interfering. What does a girl have to do to get some angst time?

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Inuyasha or Rurouni Kenshin. Apparently I don't own the change either.

**Warning**: Rated R for language and adult situations.

Chapter 4: Pit Stop

_Sympathy is for the idiots who don't want to feel miserable._

In all the excitement of meeting Kenshin, Kagome had forgotten about Inuyasha's comments until they set up camp for the night. The memory hit her just as she was gathering a bundle of firewood. She doubled over, the sticks raining to the ground, as she tried desperately to control her renewed nausea. She sank down, forcing herself to take deep breaths until the vertigo passed. Just as she thought that she had gotten away with her moment of weakness, she felt a light hand on her shoulder.

"Inuyasha is an asshole."

Sango was completely right, but the last thing that Kagome wanted right then was pity.

When Kagome didn't speak Sango continued. "I know it must be unbelievably difficult to have to seal yourself away from your family for their own protection, to never be able to see them until we are finished."

The childish, petulant part of Kagome was screaming. 'You have no idea! Goawaygoawaygoaaway. Leave me alone.' She didn't say any of it out loud.

"Inuyasha was way out of line. I'll tell him to back off."

Kagome felt forced to speak. "Please don't. I can handle the situation."

Sango looked sympathetically at Kagome. Kagome wanted to punch Sango's knowing, pitying eyes. "Do you need help with the wood?"

"I've got everything. I'm fine."

Finally, Sango left her alone. Slowly, methodically, Kagome began to pick up the sticks. When she looked up, Kenshin was standing against the tree in front of her, completely expressionless. Without a word, he picked up half of the pile of sticks and they made their way back to the camp.

Some part of Kagome was still hurting and wanted to hurt someone else. "How old are you Kenshin?"

"Eighteen."

"You're my age." She wondered why this didn't surprise her. "You must have started as an assassin very young."

The depth of pain in his eyes shamed her into silence. "Very young."

They didn't say anything else.

There was a discussion at camp. Kagome used words like "skilled", "honorable ki" and "responsibility" to convince them to let Kenshin stay if that was what he wanted. Although Inuyasha mumbled about "Kagome's strays" they all backed down in the face of the steel in her eyes. "Besides which, Kaede may have a solution to help Kenshin return."

Kenshin stayed silent through the entire battle. When they gave him a brief history of the jewel and Naraku, he said nothing but nodded his agreement when they asked if he was staying. Working with demons and against demons didn't seem to be giving him a whole lot of logical trouble. Kagome tried to justify this craziness by recalling that some of the humans he saw as an assassin wouldn't be all that far from the youkai of the Warring States.

However, his questionable sanity was not given a boost that evening. Kagome, bringing him a blanket for the night, once again heard him talking to himself. "So the gods have literally given me a new purpose in life. Well, I was broke, hungry and purposeless before I pissed off the gods. Why do I get the feeling that I'm going to miss that?"

###

Thanks to my reviewers!

**Reviewer Responses**

**Emerald-Eyed-Faye**: Thank you! I've been having a lot of fun writing this and I'm glad that you like it.

**giftedrogue**: That's very kind of you. I hope that you enjoy the rest of the story as well.

**angelhitomi**: Well, I don't know if the whole story is going to be the same, but I'm glad that you've enjoyed the first part.


	5. Paved with Good Intentions

Happy birthday to my wonderful beta! Without him, nothing I write would be readable. He's getting socks. Everyone else gets this big, juicy chapter as a present.

**Author's Note**: I actually did write the drunken rant that Kenshin mentions in this chapter. Unfortunately, it didn't really fit with the story so I've included it as an end of chapter bonus. So feel free to check out"** Miroku's Drunken Ramblings **or** The Major Romantic Subplot of Inuyasha in 250 Words or Less**", a very loose er... "summary" of the Kikyo-Kagome-Inuyasha triangle. Also, as a cover-my-butt disclaimer: personally I have nothing against Kikyo or Inuyasha, but I think that Miroku may not always be as happy with them.

**Chapter Summary:** Kagome finally gets in some good angst courtesy of a sympathetic Kenshin.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I don't own Inuyasha. I currently own a wok, a laptop, and a cactus named "George".

**Warning:** Rated R for language and adult situations.

**Chapter 5: Paved with Good Intentions**

_With friends like these, I hope that my enemies have a spare bedroom._

As the weeks passed, Kenshin felt himself drawn to Kagome. The old priestess they had visited had been unable to think of a way to return him and truthfully, he was in no hurry to leave. The quest for the jewel shards had given him a purpose with a vengeance. All of the jewel shards were in the possession of either his new group or Naraku. This meant that the hunt had become a torturous tug-of-war. Naraku would send a puppet with jewel shards to try to steal Kagome's shards and they would try to take the shards of the demon. Apparently there had once also been pieces of Naraku called "detachments" but Naraku had grown paranoid and absorbed or destroyed them all. He was also determinedly hiding from their group and this meant that puppets showed up all over Japan. This in turn meant a lot of walking and a lot of opportunity to talk to Kagome. Kenshin grew to anticipate their conversations during the endless marches.

She never asked him about his life before becoming an assassin or his assassination assignments. He never asked about her life in the future. Otherwise, there seemed to be no limits on their subjects. She would tell him little details about the group, funny stories about their travels, about the difficulties she had had finding a youkai adoption ceremony that made Shippou her true "blood-son". He enjoyed these stories and would occasionally reciprocate with some of the stranger things he had seen in the teahouses of Kyoto. He would also do impressions of some of the more ridiculous wandering warriors he had met. "This unworthy one apologizes for sharing the same air as Miss Kagome. Please allow me to grovel at your feet in repentance."

Raunchy stories didn't bother her, she understood his jokes and she filled a need for thought that Kenshin hadn't even realized he was missing. She was intelligent, articulate and more than happy to debate any topic he could think to bring up to her. His brief time as an apothecary started to lose some of its bitter sting as they had lively discussions about various herbal remedies. It was during one of these conversations that he realized that he also enjoyed watching her during their debates. Her hands animatedly gesturing, carefully avoiding the fox child that crawled over her upper body, her flushes of enthusiasm had become important to him. It terrified him. But then she turned and smiled and the terror disappeared as if it had never been.

It was also during this time that he began to be disturbed by her interactions with the rest of the group. On his third night with the group, he had been given a brief history of the complicated Inuyasha-Kagome-Kikyo dynamics by a drunk Miroku. At the time, he'd dismissed his burning anger towards Inuyasha as the pent-up need to kill something and thought no more of it. That hadn't been the end of it. It had been uneasy feelings at first when Inuyasha insulted Kagome. Then it had been low-level anger when Inuyasha disappeared to visit the dead girl and returned to Kagome to compare her unfavorably to Kikyo. But Kagome had simply smiled wryly and rolled her eyes discretely at Kenshin when Inuyasha wasn't looking.

Kenshin had seen Kagome fight. He often saw her performing katas at night when the group was resting. He knew that she was a powerful staff fighter which, combined with her purification powers, made her a force to be reckoned with. He thought that the insults were a form of rough teasing that Sango and Miroku joined in occasionally. Especially since she seemed to prove her worth time and again in battles against Naraku's demon puppets that stretched all of his assassin abilities. However, one day it all came to a head and he realized with chilling certainty what exactly her place in the group was.

###

After a few months, Kenshin had given up trying to fight his need to watch Kagome during battle. This battle was particularly eye-catching. Kagome spun through the demons with her purifying staff like a whirlwind of vengeance. They dissolved around her in a shower of ash, making a clear path to the puppet with the shards. She was beautiful and graceful and deadly and made something in the Battousai's blood burn. Afterwards, when Inuyasha bragged about his killing blow to the puppet and about how the useless miko should have stayed out of the way, he wondered if he and Inuyasha had even witnessed the same battle. She didn't even say anything to correct him, just calmly caught Kenshin's eyes in warning and shook her head. He hadn't even realized that his fists were clenched.

That night, when they stopped at the inn, she quietly pulled Miroku over before they made payment. He couldn't stop himself from moving close enough to listen.

"I don't trust his ki. I think that he is planning something."

"Lady Kagome, you are the flower of my heart, but we are all exhausted. Perhaps your exhaustion is clouding your perception? Although I would normally do anything bid me by one so fair, this is the best inn in the area and I, for one, would like a comfortable futon for the night."

The priest smiled and lightly kissed the top of her head, as if he was calming a pouting child. Kagome remained with her head bowed long after everyone except himself and the kit had gone to their rooms.

Later that night, after Kenshin and Kagome's wakefulness had managed to save the group from the mob come to kill "the evil demons", he caught a strangely adult look from the young fox. He could see the shame in the kit's eyes for the group's treatment of his mother. Even then, she had not said a word about her earlier warning. The adults of the group only thanked Kenshin for his watchfulness. He was about to unleash his anger, when again she gave him a pleading shake of her head.

She took him aside after the confused grumbling involved in building the camp in the dark, after everyone else had stopped shifting in their bedrolls. She sat against a large tree in the abandoned orchard they had chosen, the half-moon making her ghostly, un-real.

"It's not their fault Kenshin. Even though you were very young when you first became an assassin, I assume that you were always deadly. My friends have known me since I was very young. I was not always deadly."

Looking into the deep sorrow in her eyes, he realized the truth in a sharp intake of breath. "You concealed your skills."

Her voice was soft, almost broken. "I was very selfish. My friends were willing to kill to protect me- I thought that my other abilities would be enough. I was a genuinely bad archer, but I have had staff training and hand combat training since I was a child. Dad insisted Souta and I know martial arts. I grew up in a Shinto shrine, Kenshin. I may not have been shooting purple light from my hands, but I knew that I was a miko. But my world is so quiet. It is very different to practice katas in a dojo than it is to really try to hurt someone. Besides, I was so much smaller, so much weaker than the demons we fought, what good would my silly martial arts do anyways?"

There was an almost bitter half-smile on her face.

"What changed your mind?"

"My friends nearly died because of my cowardice."

She didn't say anything else, but he understood. The first deliberate death, the kill which was no longer just in defense against an attack, it changed her into something the assassin understood all too well.

"They didn't understand my sudden improvement. Secretly, I had been practicing some of Sango and Miroku's moves at home as well as advancing in my dojo. They thought that it was a short-term thing, that I would revert back to being the terrible fighter that they had always known. When I didn't, they ignored it, as they have been ignoring it for the past two and a half years. In the heat of battle I am equal, otherwise I am young and naïve. I consider it a penance of sorts for endangering them for so long."

"Does your penance include putting up with Inuyasha on a daily basis? If so, you should be let off early for ascension to godhood."

Her laughter was a tangible thing that made his breath catch in his throat. She looked up at him with moonlit eyes and his breath stopped altogether.

"He's too easy a fight. All I need to do to destroy him is to tell him that all the ramen is finally gone."

###

So here it is: Miroku's drunken rant to Kenshin. The author claims absolutely no responsibility for Miroku's opinions.

**Miroku's Drunken Ramblings **or** The Major Romantic Subplot of Inuyasha in 250 Words or Less**

"Basically- hic- Inuyasha was fucking crazy for this miko chick Kikyo fifty years ago. She was the one guarding the jewel then. Inuyasha's only half demon and he tried to steal it from her to become all-demon and they –hic- got all cuddly. She told him it was a no go unless he became human- wanted the jewel to disappear and get rid of her job. Naraku the asshole –hic- made them think they'd betrayed each other. Miko sealed dog-boy to a tree and died. Then Kagome shows up fifty years later, frees dog-boy who still wants the jewel to become demon, finds out she's the miko's reincarnation, finds out she's carrying the jewel and then proceeds to break the jewel. Just like –hic- Kagome. They go try find the jewel pieces and somewhere along the way someone tries to resurrect Kikyo in a clay body using Kagome's soul. They get most of Kagome's soul back, but a little piece is still inside Kikyo and she takes dead souls to keep going. Oh and Kikyo –hic- hated Inuyasha, wanted him to go to hell with her, kept stealing our shards, trying to kill Kagome and he was still crazy in love. Who knows how they feel about each other now, but he sure visits her a lot. The major kicker though was that Kagome loved the dog-boy and he felt something for her too, but as you will soon see, he treats her –hic- like utter shit."

**Reviewer Responses**

**Emerald-Eyed-Faye**: I'm an updating machine! Actually, this story is pretty much finished, but the later chapters need some heavy, heavy editing before I will consider posting them. Strangely enough, my betas have informed me that they have a life outside of me :) I'm glad that you're still enjoying the story and like the crossover plot. There really don't seem to be a lot of IY-RK crossovers out there. I'm partly writing this because I hadn't really seen this kind of Rurouni Kenshin crossover idea. That, and I had an evil plot bunny that wanted to put a completely different spin on why Kenshin is the way that he is in the series. And yes, Kenshin is just slightly cynical, although hormones seem to mush his brains a little.

**Yami Star 5983**: Glad you enjoyed this! I'm hoping that the pairings should become obvious pretty soon. I'm not being deliberately vague- it's just that there are some twists in later chapters that I don't want to reveal yet.

**k**: I'm really flattered that you like the story. I hope this is a fast enough update!


	6. Blind Corner

**Chapter Summary:** Inuyasha crosses the line between jerk and asshole.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I don't own Inuyasha. My mistake- "George" actually owns me.

**Warning:** Rated R for language and adult situations.

**Chapter 6: Blind Corner**

_Forget the license number of the bus that hit me- I want to know how they drove a bus on the sidewalk._

Kagome was having trouble doing her laundry. Her thoughts kept turning on her and making her lose her focus. Most of these thoughts centered on the assassin. She really enjoyed her time with Kenshin. He never seemed to pass any kind of judgment on her decisions, never second-guessed her and always treated her as a respected equal. And they had fun.

Kagome had been becoming more and more drained from Inuyasha's progressively more vicious insults and Miroku's protective, demeaning condescension. Not to mention her headaches from Sango's well meaning, but smothering, pity and the constant demands of her confused and frightened kit. Now she could just laugh at Inuyasha's insults with Kenshin and Kenshin would distract Shippo when she needed a break. The pity had all but stopped and Miroku had mainly returned to his teasing, flirtatious self. Now it didn't have to bother her if Sango and Miroku needed alone time or if Inuyasha went off to go see Kikyou. After their "special" conversation, Kenshin had confessed to wanting a practice sparring partner and she now had plenty to do in her spare time. She and Shippo and Kenshin could spar, tell stories, make daisy chains. The assassin looked particularly good with flowers in his hair.

Strangely though, the more time she spent with Kenshin, the less Inuyasha went to see Kikyou and the more he would show up during their play unexpectedly. It gave Kagome an additional headache, but she had long since given up trying to understand the hanyou. She refused to let the bitterness inside her spread. She had promised to stay with him and she would keep that promise to the very end.

But she didn't want to think about Inuyasha. She wanted to think about Kenshin and teaching him how to cook- something that apparently wasn't required as an assassin. She may have teased him about how silly it was that an apothecary didn't know how to mix ingredients for food, but he had learned surprisingly quickly. Those slender hands that wielded a sword with such skill also efficiently chopped vegetables and stirred pots. Thoughts of his hands made something stir in Kagome that she hastily tried to suppress. It was while she was trying to settle this in her mind that Inuyasha appeared.

"Oi wench, hurry up with your stupid washing."

Kagome was furious. Laundry time had been her long established alone time. It was her time to settle her mind. She had even sent Shippo off to play with Kirara and Kenshin off to get wood so she could have some minutes to herself. Inuyasha had never interrupted her here before. She noticed that Inuyasha seemed very fidgety. He was shifting from foot to foot and playing with the folds of his haori.

"What is it that you want?" She was far too tired to play games.

Inuyasha lifted his head and his eyes were clear and deep and serious.

"Go home, Kagome."

"Excuse me?"

"It's been a year and a half since you've been through the well. Your family must be terrified for your safety. We don't need you here. You get in the way in battle and it's not like we don't know where the shards are now. Naraku's puppets generally find us all on their own. You're a liability to the rest of us and your aura draws youkai to us daily. If you're worried about your pet assassin, he's stayed with us for six months and he's unlikely to run now. God knows what he sees in you, but if you push hard enough he's probably desperate enough to fuck you. Go home for a while, come back, fuck the assassin. I don't want to see your face in camp tonight."

He left then and Kagome sat, frozen, her undershirt slipping through her nerveless fingers into the stream. There had been no normal tone of annoyance in his voice as he insulted her. It had been cold, level, deliberate. She couldn't move, because if she moved she would have shattered into a million pieces. But somehow she was able to collapse when warm arms surrounded her, pushing her face through red hair to the hollow of his shoulder. Apparently the assassin was not only strong enough to destroy demons but strong enough to keep her from shattering within the circle of his arms. She decided that someone that strong deserved to know all of her and she prayed that he would let her see all of him.

###

The next chapter's a bit of a doozy, so I'll try to get it edited and posted really soon. And yay! I managed to update and MediaMiner at the _same_ time! Not that anyone else cares....

**Reviewer Responses**

**Emerald-Eyed-Faye**: Poor Kenshin. He may be a world-class assassin, but you just can't escape those tricky hormones. And we aren't supposed to mention those "other organs" for at _least_ another two chapters :) Ah yes, my evil bunny is named "George". A lot of things in my life are named "George". Unfortunately evil plot bunnies have a bad habit of reproducing and I'm running out of evil bunny food. If anyone wants to adopt a plot bunny, just give me a call.... On the subject of evil, sarcastic minds: I lost my mind a long time ago and now I have to resort to small, furry rodents. You should see my hamster wheel.

Halo? What halo? Are you sure that isn't just the demonic afterglow?

**A evildustbunny18**: Thanks for your compliments on the story. I haven't really seen that many RK-IY crossovers on FanFiction but, if you are seriously interested, there might be a couple more on MediaMiner. I know I saw an interesting AU one there at one point, although that was quite a while ago. On this site, there's also the extremely AU, very funny crossover by koji-belle called "39 Days" that is basically a Survivor parody starring the casts of Inuyasha and Rurouni Kenshin. If anybody else knows of some good IY-RK, please feel free to add them! I freely admit that I probably haven't looked as hard as I could to find them.

**lady sakura**: Thank you. I hope that you enjoy future chapters as well.

**Yami Star 5983**: Glad you liked the new chapter. Unfortunately it looks like I won't be able to update as quickly anymore, but it will still hopefully be pretty fast. Feel free to ask as many questions as you want! I always like to know if what I'm writing is making any sense.

**mizu.no.ryu**: Actually my cactus "flings" itself off of the shelf every couple of days for a bit of adventure. No kidding. Cats, cats do not respond to us- we respond to them. Once that distinction is clear in your mind, everything should go just fine. Glad that you liked the combination of the chapter and Miroku's ramblings. The ramblings were actually a mental challenge to see how far I could condense the plotline of Inuyasha and still have it make some kind of sense. It's amazing how weird it sounds when you cut it down to the very bare bones :)


	7. Wash Out

**Author's Note**: **start vent** Neither of my betas has watched or read 'Rurouni Kenshin'. Their introduction to Kenshin consisted of, 'He's got red hair. And he's an assassin.' I have read over this chapter so many times that it might as well be written in Ancient Sanskrit for all the sense I can make of it. I even watched the Rurouni Kenshin OAV for 'research purposes'. So please take mercy on me and point out any glaring errors. **end vent** Okay... Everything's fine now....

**Chapter Summary:** Kagome and Kenshin bond over how much their lives suck.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I don't own Inuyasha. I just looked at my tuition and rent and I realized that the bank actually owns me. Does that mean that the nice people get to sue them?

**Warning:** Rated R for language and adult situations. This chapter: some Kenshin canon stretching/creative interpreting. Purists beware. Although if you're reading a time-traveling crossover fic...

**Chapter 7: Wash-out**

_Spilling your guts is messy, dangerous and may leave an incriminating trail of blood._

He hadn't been able to help himself. He had finished finding the firewood in record time because it physically hurt to not be near Kagome. He didn't want to think too much about the implications of that. She had done laundry before, they had been separated before, but recently it had begun to be painful when she wasn't in his line of sight. He had been very carefully not thinking about it when he found himself downwind of Kagome on the stream, his ki carefully masked. He understood the need for privacy. Really he did. If she didn't know that he was there that counted as privacy, right?

So there he was, watching her wash, watching a dreamy smile come and go on her face, watching Inuyasha coldly and systematically tear her heart out. He didn't even know how he ended up holding her but he had no intention of relaxing his death grip on her body.

When she started talking he merely shifted her so that he could see her face and kept himself very quiet.

"My father was Higurashi Kenji, a Shinto priest. We grew up in a Shinto shrine surrounded by Shinto artifacts. I never really thought about religion though until Dad got sick. I prayed and prayed, but the illness ate him from the inside out and when he finally died I had started just praying for his pain to end. When I fell in the well and got sent here, I started thinking about religion again. Faith was supposed to make me a stronger miko, but what did I have to believe in? There was poverty, death, disease everywhere I looked. I tried to help, but it seemed that my true abilities were actually in fighting. Ironically, I am a priestess whose power only seems to manifest to kill. I was becoming more and more separated from my family and my own time. They vaguely understood that I had a responsibility but they couldn't fully understand what I became in the Warring States Era. In my time I would have been considered a mass murderer. Here every member of my group is as bloody as I am."

She paused for a second, and resumed. "You heard Inuyasha today and, as I told you earlier, the group doesn't always see my value as a fighter. I'm sure that you've also been told that I love Inuyasha. Maybe it was just because I met him first, but I felt a connection to him that all of those insults couldn't undo. We used to be friends, Kenshin. The insults never used to be this cruel and we used to have fun together as well. I never expected to replace Kikyo in his heart, but I was willing to stay anyways, just to be near him. In spite of everything, a part of me will always care for him. I will never regret having met him or any of the group, especially since it gave me my son." A brief smile for Shippo crossed Kagome's face.

"What Inuyasha couldn't know, even if he was trying to be cruel, is the current state of my relationship with my family."

Kagome's eyes unfocussed and Kenshin had to gently shake her before she continued. "Two years ago, I went back to my time for six months. I completed all of my high school courses at home, played with my brother and had long talks with my mother. My family was so happy. I was even able to get to know my Grandfather better before he finally died at the very end of my stay. After I got my high school certificate, I told my mother and brother that I was going to return to the Feudal Era and seal the well until I defeated Naraku so that monsters couldn't get through to hurt them."

"They disowned me. My mother called me an ungrateful murderer who needed to be killing people to feel whole. She couldn't understand any other reason I would want to go back since the jewel meant nothing to me and I wasn't screwing Inuyasha. She told me that I had no idea how they suffered never knowing if I would come back or not. If I sealed the well, they wouldn't be able to take any more of the uncertainty of not knowing. She helped me buy all the supplies, helped me bring them all to the well, but neither she nor Souta talked to me again. They didn't even say goodbye. I did it to protect them, to devote my time to finding the jewel. In the end I hurt everyone."

She raised broken eyes to his face. "My father told me to protect my family, to use my abilities with honor and compassion. I was even supposed to name my first son after him. Everyday that I stay here I further dishonor his memory. What have I become?"

Kenshin knew that the only way he could counterbalance her shame was to share his own.

"I was born on a farm, the son of farmers. My parents died of cholera when I was very young. I was rescued from slavery by a sword-master named Hiko. He changed my name to Kenshin as Shinta was 'too gentle for a future swordsman'. He took me in as his apprentice and began to teach me how to master his sword style."

"He wasn't a very affectionate man and he was very fond of sake, but he was fair and I was kept clothed and fed. When I saw how many people were being killed in the war, I told Hiko that I planned to go use my skills to protect the people. He told me that I would be forced to choose, to kill some people in order to protect others and that my sword technique would make me a mass murderer. I told him that I was willing to do what it took to help the people. I left and joined the emperor's forces and Hiko washed his hands of me. I never saw him again."

He took a deep breath. He had made his childhood sound so dry, but he couldn't remember it any other way or he would fall to the poison of old memories. Kagome's light touch on his arm gave him the strength to continue.

"My superior's name was Katsura. He was a tactically brilliant man and I became his favorite weapon. Nothing defeats opposition like terror. Even more than the strategically important assassinations, fear of the invisible Hitokiri Battousai started to wear down our opponents." He closed his eyes for a brief moment. There had been so many deaths.

"But I wasn't completely invisible. One man managed to mark me before I killed him." Kenshin lightly traced one of the lines on his cheek. "That would have been his only connection to me if he hadn't had a fiancée. She was very deeply in love and very determined to avenge him. She was convinced that she could find me and destroy me. She did find me. I didn't kill her and, over time, we fell in love."

There was a small choke from Kagome, but she made no move to interrupt him.

"Katsura sent me to a village at one point to hide because the war effort was in shambles. Tomoe was to pretend to be my wife, but we married in truth. I worked as an apothecary and we lived in a small house just outside of town. Tomoe had been trying to convince me to stop being an assassin and this life was starting to convince me that maybe I could live like a normal man. I was fifteen and Tomoe was older than me. When she said that she wanted to wait to get physically closer, I agreed. I would have done anything to keep physical contact in my life that didn't involve death. Later I realized that she was struggling with her feelings of guilt for her fiancé and her guilt over whether or not she would betray me."

There were tears running down Kagome's cheeks. Kenshin couldn't cry.

"She didn't betray me. She went to the opposition to tell them that she was unable to hurt me. However, another member of Katsura's group was a traitor and when I came home that evening the traitor came to me to tell me that Tomoe had betrayed me. He gave me her journal, which detailed her entire history, and he told me where I could find her and her conspirators. I went crazy, Kagome. I don't really remember much of what happened except that I ended up in a clearing with a pile of bodies. Tomoe was there and one other man from the opposition. I went to kill the man and Tomoe moved in front of my sword, saving me from his dagger. Maybe she thought it was the only way to resolve her guilt for both me and her fiancé. My sword went through both of them, but Tomoe gave me my second mark as she died."

Kenshin stared deep into the forest. "I returned to Katsura as an assassin for three years until we won the war. Her ghost and my guilt followed me for the entire time. Now, she's like a story that I was told when I was a child- sad, tragic but no longer part of my life. I thought that I loved her, but now I wonder if what I felt was even love. I certainly don't feel as if I can never love again."

He leaned his head against her shoulder, breathing in the sweet, wild-meadow scent of her hair, before sitting up again. He felt curiously light, as if talking about the past had helped lift some of the weight from his heart.

"Love isn't an all-or-nothing thing." Kagome paused, seeming to struggle with her words. "I believe that it is possible to love more than one person. However, each love is unique just as each person is unique. Whether those loves are romantic or not, consummated or unconsummated, they help build the people we become."

Her face became thoughtful. He wasn't sure that she knew that he was there. "In the end of life, I believe that we will be judged not on who we hated but on who we loved. So in our final moments all of those faces must gather with us to help us move forward as they helped us in life." She stopped, clearly embarrassed, and waved her hand. "Sorry, I'm not very good with words."

But he understood. And when he met her eyes, her embarrassment faded. They sat there until the light disappeared, not touching, not speaking. They both knew that something fundamental had shifted. Inuyasha said nothing when they finally returned to camp, although Kenshin doubted that Kagome noticed. When Kenshin finally lowered himself to sleep he tasted wildflowers in his dreams.

###

**Reviewer Responses**

**Addanc-TSC**: Thanks!

**k**: I'm really flattered that you are enjoying my story. I hope that it continues to hold your interest.

**Sesshoumarugrl**: Thank you. I hope that this is a fast enough update. Stupid editing wasn't co-operating with me (grumble, grumble). I have a whole new appreciation for my poor betas.

**Emerald-Eyed-Faye**: Yup. I'm counting down to the "other organs". Actually, I have a couple of questions about FFNet sex scene restrictions that I'll probably ask next chapter. I really have to figure out something to do with my plot bunnies... Maybe drown them? My hamster wheel is large, steel and very, very rusty. It is currently manned by one over-weight hamster who spends most of his time sitting in the middle of it on a cigarette break. I've actually read the Inuyasha story that you recommended (fondly referred to as "the evil squirrel story") but I hadn't read the Cowboy Bebop one. That was pretty hilarious. And so very, very wrong. I actually have pretty er... 'eclectic' reading tastes so my Favorites list is all over the map. Some of my favorite humor/drama pieces are: from 'Rurouni Kenshin'- 'An Evil Plan Gone Horribly Wrong' by Sephira Jo, from 'Inuyasha'- anything by Sandra E, from 'Trigun'- 'Two Plants and a Girl' by Thunk, from 'Labyrinth'- 'Something Has to Give' by AKA Jay and from the fandom-that-dare-not-speak-its-name -'Draco Malfoy, the Amazing Bouncing... Rat?' by Sharon Armstrong. Okay, that was fun. I think I got a little carried away. Maybe you should just check my Favorites list....

**Tsuki Yume**: Don't hate Inuyasha just yet. The large rodent that crawled up Inuyasha's ass will reveal itself a little bit later in the story and I'm hoping there will still be a few surprises for the Inuyasha/Kagome interaction.

###

As a final note, I've had a couple of requests for other IY-RK crossovers that I might recommend. Unfortunately I really haven't spent a lot of time looking for these and so am pretty unfamiliar with what exactly is out there. If anybody has any favorite recommendations I'd be more than happy to mention them! I know that there are some good ones out there, but I have a terrible memory and I can't remember any names right now.


	8. Intersection

**Happy Halloween!**

**Chapter Summary:** Kagome finally figures out Kenshin's problem. She couldn't be more delighted.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I don't own Inuyasha. I'm really hoping that I win the lottery. Since I don't buy lottery tickets that might be particularly tricky....

**Warning:** Rated R for language and adult situations.

**Chapter 8: Intersection**

_If you want something done right, make it someone else's problem too._

Kenshin was avoiding Kagome. Normally this would bother Kagome, but she was far too busy avoiding Kenshin to worry about it.

Technically, the complete revelation of their pasts to one another should have made them closer. Of course, technically the revelation of their pasts shouldn't have made Kagome realize how very much Kenshin had in common with Inuyasha (not another fucking ghost woman) or made her feel like a gutted trout on display. Gods only knew what Kenshin had thought of the revelations. Based on the fact that he now put another group member between them at all times and used god-like speed to disappear when they were accidentally left alone, she guessed that he was feeling a little vulnerable.

She idly wondered how someone as dark and guilt-stricken as Kenshin had managed not to kill her, much less to open up to her. Then she realized it was ridiculously obvious. In spite of everything he'd seen and done, part of Kenshin was still an eighteen-year-old boy. He may have killed hundreds of men, been through hell and back with Tomoe, but when he met her he had been lonely, purposeless and horny. Based on some of his comments and the way he looked at her, what had happened was pretty straightforward.

She had been nice to him and he had thought she was hot. Both of his heads had been taken completely off guard. By the time the cautious assassin had re-emerged it had been far too late. This realization gave Kagome new purpose. She was also eighteen, lonely and horny. She would be damned if she let Kenshin shut himself off from her when it was so very obvious that they could help solve each other's problems.

When Kenshin passed her as they set up camp, she grabbed his arm and told him in no uncertain terms that they needed to go get firewood.

Kenshin didn't say anything until they were well out of hearing range of the group. "You heard my life- you know what I am. Inuyasha may be a half-demon, but I am at least half-monster."

So that was the problem.

"Kenshin, we're all monsters here. I've probably killed easily as many as you have. Maybe they weren't humans, but youkai still scream when you burn them from the inside out. Maybe in your time and the time that I come from, we would both be monsters. Here, in the Warring States, we're heroes. Besides I like all of you: monster, warrior and man. I'm not Tomoe- I don't want you to destroy any part of yourself. All of those parts make you the Kenshin that I care about."

Just like that, she could see the last of the objections fade. It didn't surprise her at all when he pulled her to him and held her against him. She could hear his heart beating frantically- not that hers was doing any better. He raised a hand to her face and Kagome arched into his touch as he softly stroked her cheek, her neck, the shell of her ear. She felt dizzy, disoriented and oh gods! Was he _licking_ her ear? And when had she started whimpering?

She couldn't take this anymore- she had to see him. She wriggled out of his grasp and looked into his eyes. The intensity and emotion in them hit her like a physical blow. It was overwhelming, pushing Kagome far too close to the edge of something that she wasn't quite ready to face. It was too late though. She was already reaching towards him, hands shaking, pulling his head to hers.

Their lips brushed. Then they moved again deliberately and she shivered as he opened his mouth, ran the tip of his tongue along her parting lips. Then his tongue was in her mouth and oh, that had to be illegal. What was left of her brain quickly decided that thinking was over-rated. When they finally broke apart, there was a new understanding in Kenshin's eyes.

"We passed an open meadow just before we set up camp. I'll meet you there tonight when everyone is asleep."

###

#Sigh# So rather than your regularly scheduled sex scene, I've decided to play it safe and ask a few questions here. I admit to being a bit confused as to what works for a sex scene within an R rating on FFnet. If it's anything like a movie "R" does that mean something like: 1. No mention of genitalia. 2. Nudity, but no excess description. 3. The "curtain closes" on the scene after a short period of time?

Would it be possible if someone knows what the real FFnet limits on sex scenes are, that they please e-mail me or state them in a review so that I can update the next chapter? I would really hate for the story to get deleted for something that I could avoid. By the way, a huge thanks to Emerald-Eyed-Faye for her warning.

For the nice people who give me advice: it would also be really good if I could leave at least part of the sex scene in without causing problems- sadly the sex **is** important to the story.

###

**Reviewer Responses**

**k**: I'm very happy that you are continuing to enjoy the story- I'm glad that I was able to move away from some of the angst this chapter and go back to having fun. Thank you for your thoughtful comment on the characters. I have been trying to draw some comparisons between the different members of the group and trying to show some of the reasons that they act the way that they do. Wow, that sounded a little bit deeper than what I meant! Actually, the story is mainly meant to be fun and only a little bit thoughtful.

**Emerald-Eyed-Faye**: Ah yes, it is always hard to please evil, sarcastic brains. Thank you for the warning about the lemon scenes. I'm really hoping that there is some way that I can keep the scene and still be within FFnet guidelines- especially if they are theoretically following a movie "R" rating. Basically, there is no way that I can entirely cut the sex scene and still have the chapter make any bloody sense (grumble, grumble). And strangely enough there are actually Plot!Points! (kind of like grocery coupons) during The Sex. Aaaah, my Favorites list. It is kind of a strange mix of well-written angst and funnier drama pieces. I think that they are all worth reading, but they aren't all necessarily funny. I think that maybe I'll include more of the humor stories that I really like (that aren't on the list) at the end of the next chapter. The last time was so much fun. And just because I can't resist and it sort of fits with the theme of my next chapter- "The Bridal Discussion" by RiikiTikiTavi from 'Rurouni Kenshin'. Um yeah, -sheepishly grins- I was a wee bit stressed at the time I posted the last chapter. Don't worry though- I won't be posting anything that hasn't been thoroughly edited and thought through. Whether it is any good or not is an entirely different matter....

**Tsuki Yume**: Oh damn! I entirely forgot to give Inuyasha a Pitiful Sob Story to explain his Tragic Character -hurries off to re-write chapter- :) Just kidding. Thank you for your review though- I thought that it was a very good comment on what is often used to explain characters like Inuyasha. I agree that sometimes a tragic past is used to excuse all kinds of garbage for a character's behavior. I also think that it is a bit of a cop-out from a story point of view. The past does shape people and help develop their characters. However, people, demons and hanyous all tend to move forward from their pasts at some point and, just like in real life, they can't really get away with using the past as an excuse for the rest of their lives. Hopefully that doesn't sound too harsh- it's more of a personal opinion than anything else. About my version of Inuyasha- I never said that his excuse was a _good _excuse. But I can safely promise you that it has nothing to do with his Tragic Past.

**Sesshoumarugrl**: Good to see you again! I'm glad that you're enthusiastic about my updating. Hopefully this was fast enough for you. Unfortunately, this chapter needed some heavy editing before I was comfortable posting it and that's not even including my worries about the sex scene.... :)

**ForestSprite**: I haven't run into that many RK-IY crossovers either but I'm looking to see if I can't find some more. There are a lot of things that the two series have in common that can make for some really interesting story ideas. It's good to be hooked :) Hope that you continue to enjoy the story!


	9. Down the Garden Path

**Author's Note**: I have to take a health-related trip next week and I don't know how long I'll be gone for. I promise that I'll update again as soon as I can- I'm just not sure when that will be.

**Chapter Summary**: Kenshin gets lucky.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I don't own Inuyasha. On the plus side, I don't have to pay very much income tax.

**Warning**: Rated R for language and adult situations. This chapter: sexual situations. The sex is more arty than graphic (well within movie-land R) but if you are underage or bothered by adult content, you may not wish to read. If, for some reason, you feel that the scene **is** too graphic for the site, please e-mail me and let me know and I will take out parts of the scene altogether.

**Chapter 9: Down the Garden Path**

_Sex may not be the meaning of life, but it's a great way to pass the time until we figure out what is._

When Kenshin arrived, Kagome was shifting back and forth, fiddling with her hands. It was one of her signs of deep embarrassment. Kenshin noted idly that it was also a rather endearing habit. A light blush spread across her cheek that seemed to expand as she started talking- talking that rapidly degenerated into babbling. "We won't need to worry about children. Because of the demons in this time I take something that controls um... fertility. And I won't have a virgin barrier because of what I use to contain my monthly bleeding so it hopefully shouldn't hurt too much. But please be patient with me- I know you have experience, I mean you seemed to be in a lot of teahouses, but um, I'm not exactly sure what I'm doing." Kenshin noted with interest that the blush now seemed to disappear deep inside her neckline. He barked out a laugh of frustration.

"Kagome, I was in an unconsummated relationship with a woman who was trying to kill me. When I was fifteen. The rest of my time I've been very busy killing people."

Kagome now looked curious. "How on earth did you manage to keep your sex drive under control?"

But Kenshin, both Battousai and something that may have been a remnant of Shinta, didn't want to talk anymore. With a startlingly feral growl, Kenshin pulled Kagome up against him. Hard. The light in her eyes quickly changed from something curious to something far older and more knowing than her blush would have suggested. But then she started touching him and nothing else mattered.

He was burning as he kissed her, as he ran his hands over her body. He had never felt like this with Tomoe. Of course he had never been completely naked with Tomoe, never laid over top of Tomoe spread-eagled on the grass, moaning his name. Tomoe had never been as beautiful, as passionate as the woman under him, pulling him towards her with her heart in her eyes. Then she touched him –there- and Tomoe was forever banished from his mind.

It was awkward and it took a few tries to make things fit right. But oh god, oh god it was like nothing he had ever felt and killing never ever made him feel like this and he couldn't move because if he moved he would fall apart and he may have said something but the pounding in his head was too loud and then she moved and he couldn't think and it was nothing like being by himself and he looked in her eyes as he tried to touch her even though his hands were shaking but it seemed to work because her eyes went that clear, clear blue that made him so happy and that made him shake even more and then his world exploded.

Afterwards, he held her so close that she became an extension of his arms, his legs, his stomach. He hadn't noticed the tears until she traced their tracks down his cheeks. She looked at him then, her eyes so full of compassion and love that something inside of him snapped. He realized dimly as he wept on her shoulder that he was hers now, utterly and completely. The tears washed away the last of his ties to Katsura, to Tomoe, to Hiko. Kenshin had never slept as well as he did that night in Kagome's arms.

###

In the aftermath he was dizzily, deliriously happy and the world seemed to float past him as he moved. "Fuck-drunk", he could hear Hiko scoff in his head. But it wasn't even the sex really that had set him spinning. Suddenly, the bloody Hitokiri Battousai had a future. That is, he had a future that didn't involve showers of body parts. He dreamed now of an inn, with a small farm and laughing children that looked like Kagome. He dreamt of home and family. And he was more than willing to admit that the sex was also very good. Aw, fuck it. The sex blew his mind. But he still wasn't fuck-drunk. He was just making up for a lot of wasted time spent killing people.

###

**Reviewer Responses**

**Sesshoumarugrl**: Glad you liked the chapter! I decided to just tone back the scene and hope for the best. I guess we'll see :)

**crazy-punk-gurl**: Didn't mean to create quite as much suspense as I did! I'm really happy that you liked the story and I hope that I've converted you to Kagome/Kenshin. I just think that they work well together....

**Emerald-Eyed-Faye**: You know, funny thing, but I had completely forgotten how many stories I've read with open meadows. Maybe it's just something that scarily worked its way into my subconscious after reading too many stories in a row:) I completely agree with you about the whole hotsprings thing by the way- although I have to say I've read some very funny stories where that situation is done really well. And yes, I love Inuyasha/Kagome in the manga, although I admit to reading all sorts of pairings in fanfiction. Glad you enjoyed the chapter and thanks for taking the time to review!


	10. Surface Transition

**Author's Note**: I'm back! Sorry it took so long :( A huge thank you to those of you who offered support- I'm doing a lot better now. I still have to go see one more specialist, but it shouldn't interfere with my updates.

**Chapter Summary**: Kagome just doesn't understand why she and Kenshin can't go at it in peace.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I don't own Inuyasha. My cacti are probably worth more than I am. Maybe they'll loan me a ten-spot....

**Warning**: Rated R for language and adult situations.

**Chapter 10: Surface Transition**

'Happiness is the realization that you don't need to save dessert for the end of the meal.'

It seemed to Kagome that Kenshin was always touching her. Not like Miroku groped Sango, but soft touches to her shoulders, the small of her back, the base of her neck. Often these touches were accompanied by that beautiful smile that made the gold and violet in his eyes blend. She loved the touches and the smile. Hell, she loved every aspect of Kenshin, even if she couldn't quite bring herself to tell him yet. The sex had initially been uncomfortable but it was fantastic now and, more than that, it seemed to have destroyed whatever barriers remained between them. There were no ghosts in his eyes when he looked at her and she certainly wasn't thinking of Inuyasha when he drew her into his arms.

From her perspective they were almost superhumanly professional. They fought efficiently in battle, were well-behaved on the road and didn't screw each other's brains out in front of the other members of the group. If they needed to take a little private time, how were they any different than anyone else on the hunt? It wasn't like the group wanted to see them go at it. Strangely though, all the adults of the group got pissy when she and Kenshin wandered off at night or during a rest break. They were never long during the breaks and the group was never finished by the time they returned, but they would both get disapproving glares from Inuyasha, Sango and, surprisingly, Miroku.

"They're just not getting any," was Kenshin's succinct summary. It was hard to argue with him especially when he was doing –that- with his tongue. But when Kenshin wasn't there, sometimes Kagome wondered if it was more than that. Especially since she was pretty sure that the other group members were getting some. After all, Miroku and Sango took nearly as many 'breaks' as her and Kenshin. Before Kenshin, she would have known for sure how much action Sango at least was getting- nothing like a joint bath for some girly gossip.

She didn't bathe with Sango anymore. When she found a hot springs or a lake, Kenshin and Shippo would come with her. There was no sex during the baths- it had become strictly family time. But the promise in Kenshin's eyes as he helped bathe Shippo and ran his fingers over her stomach took her breath away. They all slept together as well- Shippo curled into her stomach and Kenshin at her back. Somehow one of his hands always seemed to end up possessively caressing her breast.

Maybe that was the problem. Within the formerly tight group of shard collectors they had become their own self-contained family. Even worse, to do so Kagome had shattered her entrenched role as the naïve, helpless little girl. It hurt to see them upset with her, but Kagome had been tired of pretending to be something she wasn't. Eventually they would get over it. She needed the promise of a life beyond the shards. Kenshin and Shippo fulfilled that promise.

She had even shared the secret of her laundry with Kenshin. It hadn't started as a soul-searching conversation, but somehow she had ended up asking him how he calmed his mind after all of his assassinations. It had shocked her that he hadn't even thought about it and had just beaten his bloodlust into submission. She in turn had explained that she had tried meditation for her own demons. She had told him that she couldn't center herself and that ultimately she'd ended up using laundry.

Kagome grinned at the memory. Kenshin had looked so comically confused. But really, the explanation had been very simple. Laundry allowed her to do a simple repetitive task while clearing her mind. She accomplished something and in a symbolic way she was able to wash some of the blood from her hands. Since then Kenshin had joined her whenever she did a wash. Strangely, she didn't mind the intrusion into what had been her private time.

The depth to which Kenshin had worked himself into her life both awed and scared her. She had had a concerned talk with her son, but Shippo thought Kenshin would be a very good father. Kagome blushed at the memory. She knew that she was going to have to tell Kenshin how she felt soon, but she kept pushing it to some time in the future.

Actually, she hadn't seen Kenshin for a while. Shippo was sleeping peacefully on Kirara and Sango and Miroku were talking quietly by the fire, but Kenshin was missing… and so was Inuyasha.

**Reviewer Responses**

**crazy-punk-gurl**: Ah yes, after some cutting the sex scene did end up a little short, but I hope that it's now vague enough that I won't get kicked off FFNet for it :) Yay! Another convert to Kagome/Kenshin! If you're looking for more stories try Mediaminer . org- I seem to remember some AU ones there. Unfortunately there don't seem to be a lot of canon crossovers with a Kagome/Kenshin pairing :( Hope that you enjoy the rest of the story!

**Emerald-Eyed-Faye**: Thank you for the review! I always enjoy hearing from you. Yes, I figure that Kenshin couldn't really lie to himself about how much he was enjoying the sex for long :) I think that he's more than happy to make up more wasted time....

**ladyatchika**: Went to school with a lot of "fuck-drunk" people. I thought they were pretty cute too :)

**Kage Otome**: Sorry that my update was so late- I was unfortunately quite sick for a while. If you still want to use one of my quotes, you're more than welcome to, although it would be nice if you were able to acknowledge me :) If you could e-mail me and let me know which quote that you'd like to borrow I'd really appreciate it since I'm curious. I had a lot of fun making them up and I'm happy that someone else enjoyed them! Thanks for taking the time to review and I hope that you enjoy the story.

**yup. its me**: Glad you find the story interesting! Thanks for taking the time to review (by the way, I love your user name).

**Sori of Chrome Dragon**: Thank you! That means a lot to me and I'm really happy that you are enjoying the story.

**Insane Vegetables**: Not planning on stopping, so just back away from the tin soldier.... Very... Slowly...

**Silver, Shadow**: They're not speaking the words yet, so I guess you're going to have to wait a little bit longer :) I love this pairing too and I'm so glad that so many other people seem to like it as well. Thanks for taking the time to review!

**Spork or Foon**: You just hope that nobody looks over your shoulder :) I'm glad that you liked the scene- I decided that if I made it artsy enough there was no way that I could get in trouble for it being too explicit, but I guess I'll see. I hope that you enjoy the rest of the fic!

**Ruu-Ruu**: Thank you for offering support- I hope that you enjoy the new update:)

**Iraine**: Your review made me smile :) I hope that you want to read more Inuyasha X Kenshin crossovers now, as part of my evil plan to take over the world. I'm really glad that you enjoyed the story and I hope that you continue to enjoy the rest of the plot.

_Updated 11-28-04_


	11. An Unexpected Detour

**Chapter Summary**: Somewhere in hell demons are breaking out the ice-skates.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I don't own Inuyasha. My cacti have informed me that not only will they not loan me money, but that I have to wear a "slave outfit" for even suggesting that option. There was no need to be so prickly....

**Warning**: Rated R for language and adult situations.

**Chapter 11: An Unexpected Detour**

_Just when you think you hold all the cards, someone switches the game to dominoes_.

Kenshin had gone to the lake edge to gain courage. It seemed strange that killing people didn't require courage, but telling Kagome how he felt made him run in panic. Four months after he had given himself to her completely and he couldn't even tell her that he loved her and Shippo. His bad mood was made even worse when Inuyasha sat down beside him.

Kenshin didn't say anything. The hanyou had been giving him black looks for a long time. If Inuyasha wanted a fight then he was going to have to start it. It was a complete surprise when Inuyasha sighed softly and started to talk.

"There was a wolf demon who really loved Kagome. He was killed over a year ago." Inuyasha gave a shaky exhale, running his claws through his hair. "She was devastated, but I thought that maybe with him gone there wouldn't be anything that might hold her here permanently. She's bound so tight to Shippo that no matter where she goes he'll go with her. I thought that if I pushed her hard enough, made it painful enough for her here, that she'd go home and be safe. There's a good chance that none of us who face Naraku will survive. I wanted Kagome gone before then." He stopped then and stared out over the still waters of the lake.

"Then you came. I could see her talking and laughing with you. And then she started to look at you. Just look. But it was the way she used to look at me."

The hanyou's eyes were haunted. "I'm not fucking blind. I know that she loved me. I love her too. I will always love Kikyo. She was the first person I loved and I will always feel guilty for what happened to her. I've promised her my life and soul. Hell, once the jewel is done, I'm going to die for her. But Kagome… Kagome is so warm. And gods help me, but sometimes I just want to be warm…. I guess you probably can't understand that kind of indecision."

Oh, but could he ever understand. Tomoe had taught him about love and died on his sword blade. Unlike Inuyasha however, he had made his peace with her memory and his guilt in the arms of the very warm Kagome.

Suddenly Inuyasha glared at Kenshin. "You know that a part of her will always love me."

Kenshin levelly regarded Inuyasha. "I'd rather have a part of her heart than all of the love of another woman."

Inuyasha seemed to deflate in front of him. "I know that I've never deserved her. I have nothing to offer her and I treat her like shit to try and distance her. But we decided…"

"We?" A cold suspicion started to settle in the back of Kenshin's mind.

"Sango, Miroku and I. Kagome's too pure, too innocent for this time. We've been trying to convince her to go back. Now that you're in the picture, who knows what will happen? But maybe, even if you need to stay in this time to be with her, you can convince her to leave the shard hunt."

"So you've all been treating her like a child."

"I thought that you would understand, that you would want to protect her."

"At some point don't you think that it is Kagome's decision what she does with her life? Why don't you ask her what happened with her family? Find out what she really gave up to be with you ungrateful shit-heads."

He was yelling he realized. He never yelled. In the stunned silence that followed his outburst he heard a soft sob. To his utter horror, when he looked up he saw a very pale Kagome standing at the edge of the forest.

Kenshin went to her, hoping to explain before she ran away from him, but she placed a finger on his lips.

"I'm not mad at you. I'll talk to you later. Right now though, I need to talk to Inuyasha. Alone."

-###-

Kagome knew that this confrontation had been building for four years. But now that it was here, she no longer wanted to start. Kagome wasn't angry or sad or betrayed. She was just very, very tired. The words that he finally said were the last ones that she expected to hear.

"I'm sorry."

And really, there was nothing else to say.

"It's okay." Even as she said it, she realized that it was indeed okay. There was a certain peace, a resolution in her heart as she turned towards the forest. Inuyasha briefly touched her arm and in his eyes she saw an acceptance that both relieved and saddened her.

"Don't wait to be happy."

Kenshin was waiting, just out of hearing range. Kagome didn't hesitate.

"I love you. When this is finished, I want to marry you. I want to have a family with you and Shippo."

Kenshin seemed to be having trouble breathing. He drew three shaky breaths before he was finally able to speak.

"Yes…"

As he folded her into his arms, she heard him mumble the rest of his sentence into her hair.

"Gods, I love you."

-###-

**Reviewer Responses**

**Emerald-Eyed-Faye**: Yay! I'm back and feeling a lot better, so there shouldn't be any more long delays in posting the chapters. I'm really happy that you liked the stories on my favorites list- I'm a huge fan of alternate pairings and I often think that well-written stories involving alternate pairings get unfairly overlooked. Although, as you said, I think that there's a lot more acceptance for them now then there used to be. Yes, I think that Inuyasha is desperately in need of some action. Unfortunately it seems that his "people skills" have eliminated any chance of getting himself laid. I also agree that it would be awfully hard to **not** get any if you were dating Miroku. Don't worry my hamsters and my evil mind are all on board to get this puppy finished! Great to hear from you again though and I hope that you enjoy the rest of the story.

**beebee**: I'm really happy that you're enjoying the story. Thanks for taking the time to review!

**whirleeq**: I share in the Kenshin love completely. Oh no! It looks like you caught on to my nefarious plan to keep people hanging with really short chapters :) Actually, I have a little confession to make. "A Choice of Roads" was actually the first fanfiction I ever wrote and most of the story was written before I ever started posting it on FFNet. Unfortunately, what looks like a reasonable chapter in MSWord doesn't necessarily look like a reasonable chapter on a computer screen and I refused to add filler just to make things look bigger :) Voila! Really short chapters! Thanks so much for reviewing and I hope that you enjoy the rest of the story.

**Arella Hallo**: Thank you for your concern- I really appreciate the well wishes. I am doing a lot better though and I will be updating regularly. I hope that you enjoy the rest of the story!

**SkyeFire-Katana**: I'm really glad that you enjoyed the story- I've been trying to work through some of my problems with pacing while I was writing this and I'm happy that you think that the pace is working. I guess the trouble this chapter wasn't really the kind of trouble that everyone was expecting and I'm hoping that I don't get lynched for it:) Thank you for reviewing- I hope that you continue to enjoy the story.

**angel-demoness7**: Sorry that you didn't get your fight- somehow this was just more how I figured that Inuyasha and the rest of the gang would behave. Who knows if I'm right or not :) I'm also really, really bad at writing detailed fight scenes :) Thanks for taking the time to review!

­-_Updated 12-05-04_-


	12. Blind Exit

**Author's Note**: I have some major issues with this chapter, but after agonizing over it for a couple of weeks, I've decided that I'm just going to leave it the way it is. Bombs away!

**Chapter Summary**: "This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but a whimper."- T.S. Eliot, "The Hollow Men"

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I don't own Inuyasha. The slave outfit hurts, I just got my tuition statement for next term, and my water heater isn't working properly. Happy holidays!

**Warning**: Rated R for language and adult situations.

**Chapter 12: Blind Exit**

_If you wish that your life was a fairytale, you obviously haven't read the original stories._

This was the end. They had finally taken enough of the shards that Naraku had been unable to conceal his location any longer. They had had two undetected days to prepare a plan, the conclusion of which was that they somehow needed to get in one mortal blow to his life source before he had a chance to regenerate. Now, they were finally fighting the monster in the flesh.

It wasn't going well.

Kenshin watched the tall demon clinically dispatching Naraku's henchmen. Sesshoumaru was beautiful to watch in a fight and seemed to be completely ignoring the occasional glares thrown his way by Inuyasha. He had been surprised when the dog demon had appeared the day before the battle- no one had ever mentioned that Inuyasha had a brother. He had been even more surprised when, despite the antagonism they obviously felt for each other, they had coolly and civilly worked together on the strategy for the fight. Kagome had not explained their hatred, but she had told him that they had worked out a truce a few years back to last until they had defeated Naraku.

The way things were going, that truce might never end. Everyone was fighting well, working seamlessly together, but there were too many monsters and nobody was even getting close to Naraku himself.

He looked over at Kagome who was effortlessly purifying the demons around her. But he was both her friend and her lover. Even from a distance he could see the fine, tell-tale shake of her hands that indicated exhaustion.

Kenshin made a resolution in his heart. Shippo had been left with the girl that followed Sesshoumaru- if Kagome survived the battle she could build a life with her son. Kenshin would make sure that she had a chance at that life.

Kenshin found that calm center that made him the Hitokiri Battousai and jumped in the air. He used all of his speed and agility not to fight the monsters in his way but to pass through them, working his way to the true goal. Somewhere along the way he passed the dead woman. Her face was completely expressionless, but he still heard her as he sped past. "Aim for his heart."

And that was what he did.

-###-

When he opened his eyes again he saw the most beautiful face in the world pressed against his shoulder.

"You stupid, stupid man. Don't you ever do that again." Their kiss felt like she was trying to push herself into him and only ended when Inuyasha cleared his throat.

It seemed that although Kenshin had escaped major injury, Naraku's final miasmic blast had knocked Sango into a coma and shattered Miroku's legs and three of his ribs. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru both had broken arms and some deep wounds that would have been fatal for non-youkai. Kirara and Kagome were only bruised as they had been protected by a falling youkai corpse, as Naraku's body had probably protected Kenshin. Although everyone would survive, Kikyo was the only one of the group who looked untouched.

Sesshoumaru left almost immediately. Miroku's attention was completely centered on Sango. It seemed that the rest of the group would have to make the decisions about the jewel. To Kenshin's annoyance, he apparently wasn't considered part of the rest of the group. Kagome gave him an apologetic look, but moved to talk to the others privately.

There was a quiet conversation between Kikyo, Kagome and Inuyasha before Inuyasha turned to the group.

"We've decided that Kagome will take back the jewel when it is completed. There's a reason that none of the guardians wished on the jewel. Unless we can figure out a wish that won't somehow cause destruction and is truly selfless, the jewel is safer with Kagome. My wish will… no longer be necessary." Something of the hell he was going through flashed in Inuyasha's eyes and Kenshin pitied the hanyou for the first time.

Kikyo handed Kagome the shards she had removed from Naraku and Kenshin could see a brief kinship in their faces before they looked away. He watched with pride and awe as Kagome purified the shards, joined them in a pulsing ball and somehow pushed them through her clothing into the scar on her hip.

He was about to ask her if she was all right when his hands started to disappear.

His purpose, he realized with a wave of horror, had been to help complete the jewel.

The jewel was complete.

He could see the confusion and dawning understanding in Kagome's eyes. She reached out to him and pulled him against her. The world in front of him started to become blurry, but her voice was very clear in his mind. "I love you. No matter what happens, I want you to live. I want you to love and find a family."

He didn't even have time to say that he loved her before the world completely disappeared.

When his vision cleared, he found himself on the same road he had been on a year ago when he had made his mocking request of the gods.

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It was empty.

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**Quick Author's Note**: This isn't the end. So please- no death threats.

-###-

**Reviewer Responses**

**IcyBetrayal**: Glad that you like the story and I hope that you enjoy the new chapter!

**crazy-punk-gurl**: I've been having nothing but problems with my computer lately so I completely sympathize and I hope that you've got everything worked out okay. I agree that Kenshin is a sweetheart and I hope that you won't be too upset by this chapter ;(

**Inuyashasnuna**: I'm really glad that you liked the chapter and I appreciate you taking the time to review!

**yami star 5983**: Awww... I'm really happy that you think the story is sweet and touching :) That makes me smile. Thank you for reviewing!

**angel-demoness7**: Well I hope that this is a fast enough update! Hope you enjoy the new chapter.

**bee bee**: I'll let you in on a little secret- I've actually started another RK/IY crossover, but I'm not sure if I will ever post it, because part of the background story is driving me nuts. I'm not sure if I know or can research enough about the Oniwabanshu to make it make sense.... I agree with Kenshin too and I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter.

**Emerald-Eyed-Faye**: Yah- What's up with Sesshoumaru's hair? I mean it's never out of place- I wonder if it's a special ability of taiyoukai 'cause his dad had the same thing... Hmmm.... I agree- maybe we should make a list of the characters in Inuyasha that really need to get some and write a Charity!Fic. Oh the possiblities ;) Anyways, don't worry about the reviewing- I'm always just delighted to hear from you and I'm just glad that you like the story. Hope you enjoy the new chapter!

**BlueDove**: The fanfiction universities are a really neat idea, but I don't know if I know enough about Rurouni Kenshin to start one- thanks for the suggestion though! No problem with waiting a while to review- I'm just glad that you enjoy the story. And yes, I do think that Inuyasha carries overprotectiveness to the extreme :)

**bonnylass007**: I'm glad that you thought that it was sweet- I really don't see Inuyasha as a bad guy and I wanted to make it clear that there were reasons for the way that he was behaving. Not necessarily good reasons, but still... :)

­_Updated 12-12-04_


	13. Kenshin Epilogue: Clover Leaf No Exit

**Author's Note**: And I bet you were all wondering how I was going to make this a canon story :) This is **not **the last chapter- there is still one more chapter to go. And yes, this is a _very _short chapter.

**Chapter Summary**: Kenshin lives. Sort of.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I don't own Inuyasha. I already know that I'm getting socks for Christmas. How Santa mixed up "hot red-headed bishounen" and "socks" is completely beyond me....

**Warning**: Rated R for language and adult situations.

**Kenshin Epilogue: Clover Leaf. No Exit.**

_When you paint yourself into a corner it helps if you enjoy watching paint dry._

Kenshin finds himself becoming the caricature of the wandering warrior that he had laughed at with Kagome. This unworthy one never says a word out of turn, only removes his newly reversed blade if someone else is in danger. The part of him that is still logical knows that this is irrational, but he is a desperate man. He thinks that maybe if he is humble, maybe if he is continuously repentant, continuously doing good, maybe one of these roads will take him back. No killing at all, saving children, giving away his last piece of bread- anything at all to get back. He has once again become the little boy who will be very, very good if only his mama and papa will move again. Like the first time though, sometimes being very, very good is not enough.

Much later, when a wooden sword-wielding madwoman challenges him to fight, the black hair and fiery eyes give him a rush of vertigo. When his head finally clears, he finds himself up to his elbows in soap, scrubbing clothes. There is, he decides, a certain amount of irony in the decisions of the gods.

Kenshin loves Kaoru. He doesn't doubt this, just as he doesn't doubt that tomorrow the sun will rise and that yet another idiot from his past will challenge him. But it doesn't change the fact that every road he walks, he finds himself subconsciously hoping that this will be THE road that will bring him back to Her. He pretends obliviousness and unworthiness and whatever else it will take to avoid facing his own mind.

When he falsely believes that Kaoru is dead, something inside of him dies. He can no longer pretend to Kaoru that he doesn't love her. But when he goes to Tomoe's grave, tells Kaoru his story, it isn't really Tomoe that he is saying goodbye to. Tomoe has been a ghost in his mind for far longer than he actually loved her. Kagome was never a ghost. He knows that this is right, that he loves Kaoru,that Kagome wanted him to live and love. However, the act of giving up that last hope finally kills the last of the Battousai. Like Inuyasha many years before, Kenshin has made the decision to destroy his monster to gain a family.

Still later, when his son is born, Kenshin blurts "Kenji" without a second thought. Unfortunately, Kaoru seems to think that it is a good fit. Kenshin wonders how he is going to live every day facing that moment's folly. Lots of traveling seems to be a good answer.

Later, although not that much later, Kenshin has a moment of revelation. As he lies dying, he realizes that Kagome wasn't completely right. It is possible to love more than one person and it is possible for each love to be unique. However, in the final moments of Kenshin's life there is only one face that appears in his mind and only one name that passes his lips before his world ends.

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And that is the true reason that Kenji hates his father.

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**Quick Author's Note**: I know it's short, but I really wanted Kagome's viewpoint as a separate chapter. So once again- this **isn't** the end. I will have the last chapter up before Christmas, so trust me just a little bit longer....

-###-

**Reviewer Responses**

**Emerald-Eyed-Faye**: I actually can't imagine the cost to the average person of trying to track me down and buying a plane ticket to where I live. It _is_ a really funny thought ;) We so have to do a Charity!Fic- I'm all psyched now. Let the unfortunates be declared and the Bad!Fic commence! My evil mind is on a permanent smoke break right now. Damn unionized hamsters....

**crazy-punk-gurl**: I'm glad that you knew that this was coming- I've been trying to hint at it throughout the story and I'm not sure how well I succeeded. Don't worry though- there's still one more chapter to find out what happened to Kagome. Good to hear from you again!

**IcyBetrayal**: Don't worry- you'll get to find out what happened to Kagome next chapter. I promise that there are still a few surprises.... I'm delighted that you're enjoying the story and I hope that you enjoy the two epilogues.

**whirleeq**: Kagome just doesn't seem to have any luck does she... But she's still got one more chapter left, so there may be a few more surprises still :) Glad you're enjoying the story and, as always, a pleasure to hear from you.

**blackrosebunny451**: I'm really delighted that you enjoyed the story that much, but I think that I'll post the last chapter before I see if a sequel is possible. Thanks for reviewing!

**angel-demoness7**: The hell, indeed ;) One more chapter and it will all make sense. Promise. Thanks for reviewing!

**Arella Hallo**: Erp. Can you hold the death threat until after the next chapter? I promise that there will be a surprise and if you don't like it, it gives me time to leave the country :) Thanks for making me smile!

**SilverWolfTears**: Well the story isn't quite finished yet, but I'm happy that you were touched by the pairing. There is actually one more chapter and I promise that that will make things a bit better ;) Thank you for your thoughtful review!

**Tsuki Yume**: Sigh. I decided that the story just wasn't going to leave my brain, so I ended up posting it anyways. Now I get to do the research, but it's actually kind of fun. I agree that this is a really hard story to figure out the mood of- it's got a bit of split personality, although that may just be me:) I hope that you enjoy the last two chapters!

**bee bee**: Um... Sorry? It actually is a canon story in a warped, twisted kind of way;) Though there is still one more chapter and you might like that one a bit better:) Always a pleasure to hear from you!

**x0xprincess-sakurax0x**: I'm glad that you are enjoying the story and I hope that you enjoy the last two chapters!

­_Updated 12-18-04_


	14. Kagome Epilogue: A Choice of Roads

**Author's Note**: This **is **the last chapter. I will post a brief afterword, some question responses and the rest of the review responses in a couple of days. So if you have questions for me, now is the time to ask :) Thanks to everyone who's taken the time to read the story! I wish you all the best for the holiday season :)

**Chapter Summary**: Some things in life are inevitable. Death. Taxes. Kagome's incredibly bad first impressions.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I don't own Inuyasha. Well, after fourteen chapters of disclaimers, I've learned a couple of things about my possessions. One- despite what they tell you, education** _doesn't_** pay. Two- Never fuck with a cactus bent on world domination.

**Warning**: Rated R for language and adult situations.

**Kagome Epilogue: A Choice of Roads**

_There is nothing new under the sun but that has never made life any less interesting._

Many, many years after Kenshin and Kaoru and Kenji, a girl stands in front of the doors to a large university. Her movements are slow, forced, as she pushes the glass and walks into the foyer. She does not want to be here. Intellectually she understands that in order to look after her kit, to buy food, to pay for rent she will need more than her high school diploma. Lady Kagome had faced demons and stood tall while watching her first love descend to hell. She had even bid a tearless goodbye to her friends who were closer than blood relatives. That Lady Kagome is dead. What is left is a broken nineteen-year-old who hasn't socially interacted with anyone from the twenty-first century in over two years.

Her relationship with her family may never be fully healed. On some level they now understand her need to seal the well for two years, but the accusation of betrayal lurks behind every glance they give her. Shippo is helping to heal some of this. Her mother loves the kit, in a way she can not yet love Kagome again. She has volunteered to look after him while Kagome attends classes and to help with some of the home-schooling Kagome has started for him. It is just as well that her family loves Shippo. The well has closed and neither of them will ever be able to return to the Feudal Era.

She takes a deep breath. She is here now. No matter how she is still hurting, she has a purpose and she cannot afford to feel sorry for herself. She straightens up, sets her shoulders back and takes a firm stride… straight into another body.

With a strange detachment, she feels herself falling backwards. She stops inches from the hard marble floor as a strong arm carefully pulls her to her feet. There is a curtain of something soft blocking her view as she rises. Red, she realizes numbly, it's a curtain of long red hair. Ice settles in her chest as she slowly raises her eyes to the face of her savior. The double image is almost blinding. Over the red hair and handsome face her miko powers superimpose long silver hair with soft ears set on top of the head.

The terror nearly chokes her as she pulls out of his grasp and starts to fall backwards again.

She's finally gone completely insane.

Strangely, this thought settles her and she is calm when the stranger once again pulls her up, inches above the floor.

"I've had a lot of reactions from women, but I don't think that I've ever had terror before."

Kagome makes one of those life-changing, split-second character decisions. She completely ignores his comment and gives him her first genuine smile in a very long time.

"I must apologize. That's twice you've had to save me from my own clumsiness. I'm Kagome, Higurashi Kagome, and I'm very sorry to have caused you so much trouble."

He gives her a real smile that touches eyes that flash ever so slightly gold. He is not Kenshin, not Inuyasha, but that smile quiets something that has been screaming in her mind since she completed the jewel.

"It was no trouble at all. I'm Suuichi, Minamino Suuichi. But please, call me Kurama."

**The End**

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_**The gods may hurt us, starve us, toy with us and destroy us, but in the end there is a purpose.**_

_**Really.**_

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­_Updated 12-21-04_


	15. Afterword Location

This is just a temporary chapter to let people who were interested know that the afterword and review and question responses for "A Choice of Roads" are up on my LiveJournal at this address:

www. livejournal .com/ users/ anaphalis/ 1286. html

If you have any further questions, please feel free to leave a comment and I'll be happy to get back to you!


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